NHL iPad app

Quick take: a good start but missing details that make a good app. For instance, full scoreboard shows all scores but doesn't link each game to boxscores. While full scoreboard scrolls nicely, the nightly one at the app's main screen required clicking to advance to more scores. Some stability issues as well. Overall I like the app but there is ample room for improvement. Updates please.

Great game against the Wings despite the loss. Howard and Mason shine in the early season playoff-intensity feeling game. The first period had a game's worth of spectacular saves. Lone Jackets goal by Vermette comes after a Umberger forced turnover in the Detroit end. Though Boll fails on the penalty shot in the 2-1 loss, kudos to the big guy for showing skills aside from boxing. With dedicated fighters approaching extinction, Boll has to pick up his overall game. If he can develop into a lesser Clark Gillies, then the Jackets will be thrilled.

Misc: 28th place power play will not carry them into or far in the playoffs. Filatov, the healthy scratch after missing a meeting, was back. The Wings may have slipped a bit, but they are fun to watch. That's the way to play hockey. 

Admittedly jaded comment: Sure they beat the Isles the other day, but it took overtime?

Four in a Row

The Jackets continue their impressive play beating nemesis Nashville 2-0 in Columbus. Nash and Commodore scored the goals and Mason earns the shutout, stopping 27 shots. I can get used to seeing Nash net those off-wing chances and Commodore join the rush to score. With Mason and Garon the team has a solid foundation that can get Mason some rest without the drop off most teams will face when playing the backup goalie. Despite the hot team, Attendance, though slowly rising, is still low as only 10,000 showed at Nationwide.

Shutout Win in San Jose

Garon earns another shutout as the red hot Blue Jackets head home after an unprecedented western road trip. Nash, who had a hat trick in San Jose, is on fire as the team heads home for a few days of rest. Nash has scored goals in his last five games. On the trip Commodore had three points in two games after missing 13.

Big Win

The Captain scored the goals to seal the 5-3 win over the Kings. This victory was needed to put a stamp on the solid start of the season. Hopefully fans will climb aboard the wagon with more wins against good teams.

Misc: Boll scores again and Commodore returns and even tallies an assist. Klesla and Murray had the other two goals for Columbus. Mason held his own against 36 shots. Methot and Klesla were both +3 on the night. Eventually the lack of scoring by Filatov has to be addressed, though the young forward is +2 on the season.

Up and Down

The Jackets continued their Jekyll-and-Hyde season last week with big victories (8-1 over STL; Voracek sheds the monkey with two goals and Boll Goal) and big losses (5-1 against Colorado; they simply cannot beat the Avalanche). After four days off, the team should be fresh for tonight's game in LA against a game Kings squad that leads their division with gaudy 12-4 record. Which Jackets team will show up?

Another Garon Shutout

Brassard's first period goal off a Nash pass is enough as Garon continues his sharp play. Methot's point blast off a face-off win and Umberger's empty netter were the other tallies. Good positioning for the forwards were a key today. Methot scored with a screen I'm front and Brassard was in position when the pass, likely intended for Voracek, found it's way to him. Nice to see hard work pay off.

Solid Effort

Another home win for the Jackets arises from a familiar pattern: good goaltending and barely enough scoring. This time it was Mason's turn to shine. He played well against the plucky younglings from Edmonton. Hall deflected a shot by Mason for his first NHL goal. Continuing the youth theme, Filatov scored the shootout winner going top shelf with the backhand.

Earlier in the game Filatov had a breakaway off a slick feed from Boll, but he failed to lift the backhand on the same stick side. Methot continued his strong play, dealing a few hard hits. Strallman had two good chances, but cannot seem to buy a goal. His blast from the point rang off the post and later he nearly squeezed one through Dubnyk's pads, leaving the goalie looking back to see if the puck made it through. No such luck. The Olier goalie has a solid game robbing Nash on two occasions (though Nash did score in the shootout).

Garon

Jackets fans should be grateful that the team has a capable backup in Garon. He was instrumental in the 2-1 victory against a tough Flyers squad. After building a two goal lead, the team held off the awakening of the Flyers in the third period. Another solidly played focused effort that gave the crowd something to cheer about.

Only one visit per year by Philly is a big disappointment for fans. Playing St. Louis 500 times doesn't make up for it.

Three unanswered goals in the second to third periods erase a 2-0 Chicago lead and provides the margin of victory for the blue jackets. An impressive road win against the Blackhawks thanks to a solid effort by Mason and a gritty resolve not to give up. An unexpected victory for the Blue Jackets who were stale on home ice, but they fought back and played an excellent game on the road. More efforts like this are needed.

Yahoo recap summed it up well: "… In two power plays over the first two periods, Columbus had no shots—and gave up a goal. " Friday's crowd was only 10,000 but luckily they were vocal during the 6-2 loss. The team is perilously close to losing the fans very early in the season. This sourness is what happens when a team underperforms in a season then do not bring in players to significantly change the team. The fans are angry and not easily fooled.

Home Sweet Home

An entertaining, close checking game in Columbus. First goal was an exciting pure hustle tally by MacKenzie who went five hole as he was being crosschecked into the ice. Nash's better to be lucky than good bank off the defenseman's skate made it 2-0. An early third period Anaheim goal made the game interesting until a Nash empty-netter iced the game. Very solid performance from Mason especially in the scoreless first period. Nice to follow the win against the Wild with a home ice win.  

Home Opener

Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski plays charades with everyone's favorite, New York Rangers  Sean Avery. I think James was trying to get across something about his favorite porn star or perhaps he was simply symbolizing the chances of the Islanders franchise this season. Going down. His punishment from the league? A two-game suspension. 

On the same day the league gave Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson a two game suspension for his hit from behind on Buffalo forward Jason Pominville.

After the off-season bluster we now know it's business as usual for the NHL. The precedent set: a hand gesture is as bad as a hit from behind against a defenseless foe. New record for disgust in a season. 

The Jackets open against the champs tonight. I'm interested to see how the new Chicago mix looks and how the Jackets compete against an elite team. Two early shots off the post by the Jackets. Stalberg beats Mason glove side. Off to watch...

Update: Blackhawks steamroll Jackets 5-1.

Shark Week

The scheduler put the Jackets in a tough spot. Open in Sweden against a tough Western team. Gaining a split with San Jose is a moral victory as a season opener. Mason looks to have hit the ground running, making clutch saves. We will see if they can keep it up especially after the short European vacation.

On the Eve of the Season

What a difference a year makes.

There was optimism at last year's opener. The run to the playoffs added some needed life to a franchise that had never sniffed the post-season. However last season ended with a thud. Lost were the gains of the previous campaign. Before season's end the GM jettisoned the only coach to lead them to a playoff series. After the magical rookie season, Mason's feet were of clay.

The Jackets limp into this year humbled and hopefully hungry. No major changes for the team that fell from race has led to soft tickets sales. Th team needs young Filatov to come back from his KHL hiatus and carry his weight on both ends of the ice. The need for a fast start is a given.

On your marks...

Preseason Blahs

Not into the training camp scene. Too few changes to be optimistic about the coming season. The plan appears to be: hope the kids step up, Filatov must star and Mason must stand on his head every game.

Same Old Song

Again with the Red Wings. Yes, they are better than the Jackets. Yes, they skate circles around them at times. And yes, the Jackets got hosed by a bad call.

The skinny: ref calls no goal, replay shows Bertuzzi in the crease angling his foot back to deflect the puck off his skate then inexplicably the call is overturned. Tough to swallow when you lose 3-2.

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Nash

With two more goals by Rick Nash you'd think it would be an inopportune time to state he is undervalued. It's not and he is. Nash capped off an all-around game by diving to free the puck in the last seconds. Yeoman work on the penalty kill, taking the body when needed and getting those goals.

Beautiful feed from Umberger led to Nash's second tally. Nice to see RJ give it up for the setup. Back to .500.


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After the pressure lifts

Now that the games don't matter for this year, the team gets it rolling. We're left with some questions that spring forth from this puzzling season:

• The team is 9-5-4 since Noel took over for Hitchcock. Is he the answer for next season?


• As of late Steve Mason has been playing well, defeating the Blackhawks twice down their stretch run. His goals against average is still almost a point higher than last year. Is it the sophomore slump or is this late run what we should expect next year?


• Is this the year that Russell turns the corner and realizes his potential? His plus/minus is at even over the course of the year. In years past, he was well below break even. Will next year see him push into the positive side?


• Brassard must come back stronger next year. He has 8 goals in 73 games this season after having 10 goals in 31 games before injury.

Wait Til Next Year

Howson cleans house by trading a few expiring contracts. Good luck to Raffi Torres in Buffalo. Now the team plays out the string to what will be dwindling crowds. So much for building on last year's playoff run.


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